The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-08-26
THE coUNTRY'S CROPS.

TIE SSoN n = ShSE ..
The subject of most interest in CON-
mercial circles is the outcome OF agricul-
tural productions this season. The Aug
ust report of the Agricultural Bureau
throws some new light upon this ques-
ton, and is pretty conclusive as regards
all cereal crops except corn. There is
no report of winter wheat, rs that has
been harvested, and the results OF
threshlng are not yet obtained; but 1t
will be remembered that the July report
indicated smaller yield than last year.
The August report of spring wheat is
that the condition is two points below
that of a year ago, but as there is an in
crease in acreage 1t seems probable that
the spring wheat crop will be equal to,
if it does not exceed, that of Est year,
and that the total crop of wheat winter
end spring, will be only slightly less
than the crop of 1886 probably twent,
or twenty-five million bushels less. This
will give an ample supply for home con-
sumption and handsome surplus for
export, which surplus, with what old
wheat remained in the country at the
beginning of harvest, will be all that
| foreign countries are likely to demand
of us, if the recent reports of good harry
ests in Europe are correct.
The condition of oats Is placed at $3.50,
which indicates yield slightly under
the average. OF barley the condition is
reported S6.2, and the indications are
for about an average yield. OF buck
wheat the average condition is 93, which
is high, and the area practically the
same as last year. There is no report
of rye in August, but the crop was prev
iously reported slightly less than last
year.
There is really no ground for especial
complaint of the production of these
cereals, but the August report of corn is
discouraging, and we give it in full:
"The prospect month ago was for a
very heavy crop of corn and rate of
yield about the average. Its condition
in all the States of the Atlantic coast is
now unimpaired and of very high pro-
mise. In Texas and Tennessee the con-
dition has declined materially. In the
central corn region, however, in the val
leys of the Ohio and Missouri, where
two-thirds of the crop is grown, and the
commercial supply is procured, verv
heavy reduction has taken place, which
has made the national average S0.7 in
stead of 97.7 last month. The cause is
long-contlnued drouth, which has been
severest in Kansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio and Michigan. Nebraska has been
scorched on the southern border, and
Iowa and Missouri have escaped with
comparatively light loss, as have the
more Northern States. The seven corn
surplus States stand as follows: Ohio 50,
so, Kansas go, Nebraska 75."
But this is not the worst Of it, for the
drouth in the Missouri and Ohio Valleys
continued for ten days or two weeks af
ter the returns were made upon which
this report was based, and the condition
must have been further impaired, pos
sibly to as great an extent as was report
ed for all of the month of July in that
region; but while the drouth as whole
was unbroken, there were occasional
local showers in many places which were
of great benefit, and if we allow that the
condition for the whole country was re-
duced to the average of 20, it would seem
to be all that could reasonably be
claimed. This would indicate an aver
age yield of 1916 bushels per acre for the
whole country. This compares with %
bushels last year, 26.5 bushels in 1885,
25.6 bushels in 1884, and 1876 bushels in
1881, the latter being the smallest yield
for long series of years, the total re-
ported crop being 1876, 0O0, 900 bushels,
which compares with ,936, 000,0 900 BUSH
els in 1885, which was the year. of the
largest total production. The increased
acreage this year will help the situation
materially. The increase over last year
is nearly four per cent, but We will call
it less than that, and make the total in
round numbers rs, OOO, 900 acres, which,
with Weld of 1916 bushels per acre,
will produce crop of l ,52s, 800, 900 bush
els.
This is about 100000 bushels less
than the crop of last year, which was
produced on about 1900, 900 less acres,
and it is $50, OO0, 600 more than the short
crop of 1881 while it Is only about 5O,-
600, 900 bushels less than the average an
nual production for the past ten years.
The main feature of encouragement is
that the shortage is in the principal pork
and beef-producing States, and what
makes it worse is that there is a short
crop of hay in the West; but there is a
large amount of old hay and old corn in
the country, and one short crop of corn
will not cause a famine. although it will
undoubtedly enhance its value, and thus
compensate producers in part at least
for the restricted production.
THE railroad commissioners of Illinois